Egg carton printer system and method of use

Abstract

A printer system comprising a printer having a printhead operatively installed therein, the printer including a housing having opposing thumb screws extending outwardly therefrom, and a mount comprising a printer bracket having opposite printer bracket side members each terminating in a distally extending side member leg configured for attachment to the rail, the printer bracket side members each further having a mounting slot formed therein with a vertical slot portion and at least one horizontal slot portion and a rail bracket having a rail bracket top member with opposite substantially downwardly extending rail bracket side members terminating in outwardly extending side member legs configured for attachment to the rail, whereby the printer is received within the mount and selectively positioned therein as by engaging the thumb screws within the mounting slots so as to position the printhead as desired beneath the rail bracket top member.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A printer system for mounting on a rail, comprising:
 a printer having a printhead operatively installed therein, the printer including a housing having opposing thumb screws extending outwardly therefrom; and 
 a mount comprising:
 a printer bracket having opposite printer bracket side members each terminating in a distally extending printer bracket side member leg configured for attachment to the rail, the printer bracket side members each further having a mounting slot formed therein with a vertical slot portion and at least one horizontal slot portion; and 
 a rail bracket having a rail bracket top member with opposite substantially downwardly extending rail bracket side members terminating in outwardly extending rail bracket side member legs configured for attachment to the rail; 
 
 whereby the printer is received within the mount and selectively positioned therein as by engaging the thumb screws within the mounting slots so as to position the printhead as desired beneath the rail bracket top member. 
 
     
     
       2. The printer system of  claim 1 , wherein a printer bracket bottom member spans the printer bracket side members substantially opposite the printer bracket side member legs. 
     
     
       3. The printer system of  claim 2 , wherein the printer bracket bottom member is substantially perpendicular to the printer bracket side members. 
     
     
       4. The printer system of  claim 2 , wherein the printer bracket bottom member is substantially below and parallel to the rail. 
     
     
       5. The printer system of  claim 1 , wherein the printer bracket side member legs are substantially perpendicular to the rail. 
     
     
       6. The printer system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the printer bracket side member legs terminates in a side member foot for attaching to the rail. 
     
     
       7. The printer system of  claim 6 , wherein each side member foot is substantially parallel to the rail. 
     
     
       8. The printer system of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting slot comprises two horizontal slot portions each intersecting the vertical slot portion. 
     
     
       9. The printer system of  claim 1 , wherein the rail bracket top member is substantially elevated above and parallel to the rail. 
     
     
       10. The printer system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the rail bracket side members terminates in an outwardly extending rail bracket side member leg for attaching to the rail. 
     
     
       11. The printer system of  claim 10 , wherein the rail bracket side member legs are substantially perpendicular to the rail bracket side members. 
     
     
       12. The printer system of  claim 10 , wherein the rail bracket side member legs are substantially parallel to the rail. 
     
     
       13. The printer system of  claim 1 , wherein the printer further comprises a carriage system having a base operable on a track, the printhead being installed on the base so as to enable lateral movement of the printhead within the printer along and substantially parallel to the rail. 
     
     
       14. The printer system of  claim 1 , wherein a combination solvent-based and water-based ink is employed in the printhead so as to print on a variety of egg carton substrates selected from the group consisting of cardboard, pulp, foam, and PET.